It all kicked off in a light-hearted manner.
Through whispers and casual chatter, the word spread about this supposed big shot gracing the Festival with their fortune-telling prowess. While fortune-telling wasn't usually a big deal, this time, there were some peculiar conditions attached.
An announcement circulated among the citizens, revealing the inclusion of a free-to-enter arena, with a renowned Martial Artist serving as the one to challenge. If you won, the fortune telling was free of charge. Instead, if you lost, you could still get your fortune told, but it came at a high price.
This unique twist caught the attention of people, not necessarily because of the fortune-telling itself, but due to the promise of exciting fights.
The martial artist in question had a considerable fan following, and the prospect of witnessing their skills in a public arena drew in more curious onlookers. Friends of those who caught wind of the news joined in, and the excitement continued to swell, gaining momentum like a snowball rolling downhill. This led to a significant turnout at the arena, with many aspiring participants eager to make a name for themselves also flocking to the event.
'The person behind this is no doubt a genius businessman'
If you dig a bit deeper, it's pretty evident this is a big business move, a strategy to rake in immense popularity and wealth.
The hefty price tag attached to the fortune-telling is but a move to satisfy the human desire to feel good about oneself.
Some folks usually find pleasure in undermining someone else's hard work by simply buying their way in—a common tendency among the well-off who don't fret over such a 'small' sum.
Thus, while gaining immense popularity through the Arena, this fortune teller will also get a fair amount of people interested in buying the fortune telling to boast...
As the organizer of the festival, I found myself in a quandary, contemplating,
'Maybe I should go check it out...?'
Certainly not because I was itching to see some thrilling fights. No, my curiosity aimed to ensure nothing shady was happening behind the scenes. Yeah, let's stick with that...
---
I was too shortsighted.
It hit me only when the chaos had already erupted.
My tunnel vision fixated solely on my objective, failing to foresee the unexpected interest people would have in this. I mean, the fee I charge for a single fortune-telling session is enough to sustain an average family in Berlint for six to eight months. That's a steep price, right?
Even if I cut it by 80%, most folks in this city still couldn't afford it. Yet, there they were, a crowd practically throwing money at me, treating me like some hotshot!
I even spotted many influential figures among them.
But here's the kicker.
This pile of money is utterly useless to me.
After some hard thinking, I figured out why people were so eager to buy my fortune telling, but still...
Even if I manage to get rich this way, I'll still have to go through a loop soon, making it completely pointless.
One silver lining in this mess: Fiona Frost showed up.
Instant recognition. Her striking white hair, purple eyes, and overall appearance—pretty girl, no doubt.
Yet, having glimpsed her thoughts through Anya in the anime and manga, I knew there's a storm brewing beneath that poker face.
Anyway, that's not today's focus.
I made a deal with the Martial Artist, signaling him to step off for a while when it was time for me to take his place and face Fiona Frost.
Despite unexpected situations—Yor Forger and Anya popping up for no apparent reason—it was manageable.
Anya's intense stare, though—I tried to brush it off.
Fortunately, the crowd provided enough cover; she shouldn't be able to dive into my specific thoughts or understand much about them.
Even though I know the conditions of the Trial specify Anya can know my true identity and all, I still want to avoid her.
The System's subtle but persistent push for me to connect with Anya doesn't sit well with me. The farther we stay from each other, the better.
Finally, as the line of people wanting to fight dwindled and Fiona Frost was supposed to step onto the stage, I signaled to take the martial artist's place in the arena.
I had a replacement ready for Yozu the Fortune Teller, ensuring the Fortune Telling area's operations continued smoothly.
Being a fortune teller requires little effort. Just tell them what they want to hear, and you're good.
"Are both sides ready for battle?"
I got so lost in my thoughts that I almost forgot the battle was about to start...
---
"That is the Champion's friend, right?"
"Yes, I heard he's also quite good...!"
"Really? How come I never heard about him?"
"You must live under a rock! How could you have never heard of him?"
This is all just a smokescreen. How could word spread about me when I didn't even exist on the records a few days ago?
Whatever...
I sighed, pushing aside the 'mystery' for now as the match was about to kick off. The arena fell into silence as the tension reached its peak.
"Then, 3..."
The referee started counting down, only his words echoing through the arena. I focused on what lay ahead. It was time.
I tried to glean as much information about my opponent as possible.
'As expected, she's good.'
She doesn't hold Medium Combat Prowess for nothing. Her breathing is steady, her gaze devoid of emotion, and her stance somewhat lacking, like a complete amateur.
And yet, I was tense.
I could not understand nor see through her style, even with all my knowledge.
But in these three seconds, I readied myself. As the referee's arm cut through the air, signaling the start of the fight, the atmosphere around me changed.
'She's coming!'
That's all I could think as I used my arm as a shield against her powerful punch. The impact was bone-crushing, but thanks to [Turtle Shell] activated just an instant before it connected, I stood my ground.
I didn't wait for her to rain more attacks on me; I countered. I wasn't a hand-to-hand combat expert, but my experience in Karate and my Talents, far beyond an average person's, gave me an edge.
She deftly evaded my punch, seizing the opening to launch a swift kick. My other hand intercepted, blocking the incoming blow.
Without [Turtle Shell], the sheer amount of damage I accumulated would've been enough to make me unable to fight properly.
My lack of fighting experience is clear against a real master.
In mere seconds, the cheers from the crowd escalated, but I drowned them out. My focus was singular—to find a weak point. Employing [Observe] and [Sixth Sense], I scoured for vulnerabilities but found none.
I refused to believe that.
In a brief stalemate, she unleashed a powerful knee kick that felt like a truck colliding with me. I coughed some blood and distanced myself, but she pursued, denying me respite.
She kept punching at me to never give me a single second to breathe, but I did not panic. I kept trying to grasp her movements and endure, until...
A subtle opening emerged.
Seizing the opportunity by using all my skills to their peak, I delivered a powerful Karate kick, catching her off guard. The connection, a resounding thud, resonated through my foot.
Her experienced stance absorbed the impact, but the surprise in her eyes hinted at the effectiveness of my strike as she was forced to shield herself.
I may not be a master yet, but to bear the force behind my current physical strength is not easy, either.
Both of us took a moment to retreat and recover, while the cheers grew even louder.
The metallic tang of blood wafted in the air, as I could see both of my hands were bloody, likely from all my attempts to block her attacks.
I may not have suffered real damage, but she managed to land many hits all over my body in this short exchange.
'I need to end this fight soon, or I'll be the one to lose.'
"...You are strong," she suddenly muttered as she did not move yet. Does she want a conversation now?
"You too—"
Before I could finish, her expression turned icy. Thanks to my heightened [Observe], I barely caught it. If not for Anya's insights, I'd be clueless into why she was acting like that.
That's just to prove how good she is.
"...but I must win this fight."
Her stance...changed.
I knew it by instinct. From now on, she would fight to kill.
Just how worked up are you over a little fortune telling, girl? It's not like he'll love you if you get your fortune told!
I chuckled instead of screaming my real thoughts at her. "Yeah, I must win too. Let's see who will win!"
I hope you don't kill me before it's my time for this loop, though...